USA T&F Report Card

[tafnut]

This is the end of the school year for me and so, as I fill out my grading book, I give USA men's T&F these grades.

100 - A ... Gatlin et al have USA sprinting back on top. Just missed the A+ cuz Powell is above the other Americans.
200 - A+ ... Gatlin, Spearmon, Gay, Carter, 'nuff said
400 - A ... Wariner, Rock, Merritt, Carter, Williamson. Pesky Canuck ruined a perfect A+
800 - C- ... what's up here? We have been mired in the doldrums of this event TOO long. Where's the next Gray, Everett? We seem to have lots of second-tier talent, but no one wants to take the next step!
1500 - B- ... Webb and Lagat give up a bright face, but the truth is that the next level is simply not intl class.
Steeple - C- ... but that's only because Kenya had 15 of the top 12 spots in the world. EVERYBODY else is a C- also. Lincoln and Fam are trying to step up!
5000 - C+ ... Again Lagat and Webb are keeping up appearances, but we still have a long way to go to get 3 under 13.
10000 - C+ ... Our depth is almost back up to the 1970s! We're definitely making progress, but meanwhile the Africans are down playing in 26-land.
110H - A- ... Even with Liu and Doucoure in the mix, we still can pump out sub-13.20s like clockwork.
400H - A ... We still dominate this event too. We reload every year.
HJ - B- ... We've got guys who COULD mix it up with the big boys (well Holm isn't big, but he's BIG), but for some reason they haven't lately. We may be on the verge of putting several near the top in the near future.
PV - A- ... We used to OWN this event, and now with Walker and Mack and Stevenson and Miles and Skipper we're on our way up again.
LJ - A- ... Another perennial US stronghold - we're looking good again. Phillips, Pate, Stringfellow (if he ever gets healthy again, Johnson, Davis.
TJ - B+ ... Mostly on Davis's say-so, we're holding our own here. Bell and Wilson need to get consistent. We SHOULD own this like the LJ, but our technique is lacking.
SP - A+ ... Wow are we loaded here. Take your pick: Cantwell, Nelson, Hoffa, Godina. We da man!
DT - C+ ... WTF (excuse my German)? What is the freakin' problem here, folks? Waltz and Rome are trying (5th and 7th at the WC is respectable), but we should be doing much better in this former USA stronghold. Oerter, Wilkins and Powell are getting impatient.
HT - D ... This is just sad. Are all the able-bodies in the NFL?
JT - B- ... This event is hanging by one tendon in Breaux's shoulder! C'mon spearchuckers, show 'em your All-American arm. How can 98mph fastballers and 70yd football passers NOT throw a measly 800g the length of a football field?
Dec - A ... Clay, Hardee, Pappas, oh my! Good stuff.
4x1 - I ... for Incomplete exchanges.
Mar & Walks - Whatever, pass/fail, I don't know.
4x4 - A++ ... And we don't even study.

[bad hammy]

Great stuff! Loved the marathon/walks grade!!

[mojo]

Fun reading tafnut.

Ditto on the walks but I think the marathoners deserve their own grade. C+ I am thinking...

[TrakFan]

Good read! What about the women?

[tafnut]

Good read! What about the women?

Be my guest! I follow women's T&F enthusiastically now, but from about '70-'80, I was woefully ignorant, so I have never felt qualified to comment on the distaff side as much (not that I have anything scintillating to offer on the men's side either!)

[MJR]

Walks grades:

Men = C-
Great performances from individuals over the last 2-3 years, but no consistency or depth outside of top 2 open at any point.

Women = C+
Solid performances over last few years, but nothing outstanding. Older women consistent, with great upside to younger generation.

USATF = D-
Still don't give a rats ass about making any real effort to making it possible for the US to have anyone achieve elite performances in this event. The small successes we have are coming from overly dedicated people who can perform magic. The money spent to fly Gatlin to Penn and have him run one relay is more than spent on any RWer all year. He makes millions, stop wasting money where it isn't needed.

[BCBaroo]

I don't mean to be a jerk. But, seriously? If the USATF was spending any money on "promoting" walks over promoting the whole sport...I'd be ticked.

You had your Malcom in the Middle episode.

[Dietmar239]

The javelin issues I think are a byproduct of it's failure to appear in many states on the high school level. And as you mention, the money out there for quarterbacks and Nolan Ryan type pitchers is far more attractive then chucking a spear downfield for pennies.

[tandfman]

The javelin issues I think are a byproduct of it's failure to appear in many states on the high school level.

Same problem with the hammer and the walks, but the problem is worse with the walks. The NCAA colleges contest the javelin and the hammer, but not the walks.

[MJR]

I don't mean to be a jerk. But, seriously? If the USATF was spending any money on "promoting" walks over promoting the whole sport...I'd be ticked.

You had your Malcom in the Middle episode.

Its not an issue of promotion. It is an issue of making sure that athletes have the opportunities to train and compete so they can be the best.

The money that used to go into the RW program, and a few other events, was taken so the Brooks Johnson could run a relays program where he can talk about split times in meetings and travel for free to watch people run and drop batons or pass out of the zone.

USATF still is sitting on its arse about getting the RW into the HS and NCAA programs, which would solve ALL of the problems we currently have (which is no access to the athlete pool). Bill and Craig need to wake up on this one and actually do somehting about it instead of ignoring and obfuscating the issue so they can go appease Brooks and Duffy.

[Powell]

Walks grades:

Men = C-
Great performances from individuals over the last 2-3 years, but no consistency or depth outside of top 2 open at any point.

Women = C+
Solid performances over last few years, but nothing outstanding. Older women consistent, with great upside to younger generation.

You're being generous. Apart from Kevin Eastler, none of the American men competing at the World Cup at 20k would have placed in the top 10 in the women's race (and the best American junior man was 4:26 slower than the winner of the junior women's race). The best American at 50k was some 7.5k behind the winner. In none of the races did the US team manage to beat more than 3 other teams. Support or no support, the American walkers are waaaay off the world's elite.

[MJR]

Walks grades:

Men = C-
Great performances from individuals over the last 2-3 years, but no consistency or depth outside of top 2 open at any point.

Women = C+
Solid performances over last few years, but nothing outstanding. Older women consistent, with great upside to younger generation.

You're being generous. Apart from Kevin Eastler, none of the American men competing at the World Cup at 20k would have placed in the top 10 in the women's race (and the best American junior man was 4:26 slower than the winner of the junior women's race). The best American at 50k was some 7.5k behind the winner. In none of the races did the US team manage to beat more than 3 other teams. Support or no support, the American walkers are waaaay off the world's elite.

Reread what I wrote. There have been good individual performances over the last few years. I concede the depth issue, hence the low grades.

You go on to say "support or no support...". there is no logical way to argue this statement in your favor. Simply, USATF, USOC, NCAA & NFHS do NOTHING to support the RW. This is THE reason we are so far behind and is frankly inexcusable that the parties at hand continue the status quo to the point where they are assuring the death knell of the event in this country by their continued inaction.

[BCBaroo]

I don't mean to be a jerk. But, seriously? If the USATF was spending any money on "promoting" walks over promoting the whole sport...I'd be ticked.

You had your Malcom in the Middle episode.

Its not an issue of promotion. It is an issue of making sure that athletes have the opportunities to train and compete so they can be the best.

The money that used to go into the RW program, and a few other events, was taken so the Brooks Johnson could run a relays program where he can talk about split times in meetings and travel for free to watch people run and drop batons or pass out of the zone.

USATF still is sitting on its arse about getting the RW into the HS and NCAA programs, which would solve ALL of the problems we currently have (which is no access to the athlete pool). Bill and Craig need to wake up on this one and actually do somehting about it instead of ignoring and obfuscating the issue so they can go appease Brooks and Duffy.

Duly and respectfully noted.

[einnod23]

Wow! Meb's consistency + Deena's AR doesn't at least give US Mar a B. Or are you just judging the men's and not putting the two together? Add USA Men's placings in Beantown..........

[Powell]

USATF still is sitting on its arse about getting the RW into the HS and NCAA programs, which would solve ALL of the problems we currently have

That's because it's USA Track and Field. Walks are neither.